KCRag Forum

Be a Walkable Activist too

Be a Walkable Activist too

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:08 am

by TrolliKC

Good article, hopefully change is coming. Also I saw the new bike parking in downtown OPKS - KC needs to do 100's of these between downtown and Waldo. The green color is perfect and they look like art even when no bike is parked.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

The same style of bike rack will be installed at every Prospect MAX stop next year. They'll be red with the new MAX logo in the middle.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:59 pm

by taxi

It is so hard to find a bike rack when I'm riding downtown. Sometimes I have to walk almost a block and that is hard when I'm in high heels. I'm afraid to lock my bike to something that isn't officially designated, like a light pole, fence or water meter and there are so many homeless people that it's too dangerous. I prefer to ride in Lenexa.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:39 am

by wahoowa

nice.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

It is so hard to find a bike rack when I'm riding downtown. Sometimes I have to walk almost a block and that is hard when I'm in high heels. I'm afraid to lock my bike to something that isn't officially designated, like a light pole, fence or water meter and there are so many homeless people that it's too dangerous. I prefer to ride in Lenexa.

This is why I was glad to see KC implement the requirement for all renovations and new buildings (I didn't check code, this sounds right) to add bike parking. We don't need every place to have bike racks but if even 1 in 4 businesses downtown had them it's possible to share. With all the projects downtown it won't take long before we hit critical mass on bike parking and demand starts to grow.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:01 am

by taxi

I agree. This is so simple. If we regulate small businesses more, we can improve so many things in our city. All businesses, no matter the size, should provide covered secure parking for their employees who bike. Because if your bike gets wet, it's harder to ride and it might leave a wet spot on your skirt. Since we already have so many parking regulations, it just makes sense to add more for bikes.

If you lock it to a light pole or street sign instead of a bike rack, what if public works comes by and has to do maintenance on that sign? How can they work around a bike? They already have a tough job.

Mandatory bike racks will surely get a lot more people to ride and help with traffic congestion, parking problems, and make people healthier. There will be less crime and it will save our planet.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:17 am

by flyingember

We already have code around mandatory bike parking.

Since 2016, 88-420-09 requires short term (guests) and long term (residents, employees) bike parking. Long-term must be covered

the problem is it doesn't apply until the property owner needs permit for parking. so if you've been in the same location for longer it hasn't applied yet.

And we don't want to focus on the small business, need to focus on the landlords.

The next step would be to take this code, it's actually quite well done, and put some sort of compliant by date in place.

Change code with two provisions
1. all applicable properties must add bike racks by Jan 1, 2026 and be compliant with this code
2. If you are not compliant on this date you can not get a permit for any non-emergency work without coming into compliance first

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

It is so hard to find a bike rack when I'm riding downtown. Sometimes I have to walk almost a block and that is hard when I'm in high heels. I'm afraid to lock my bike to something that isn't officially designated, like a light pole, fence or water meter and there are so many homeless people that it's too dangerous. I prefer to ride in Lenexa.

This is why I was glad to see KC implement the requirement for all renovations and new buildings (I didn't check code, this sounds right) to add bike parking. We don't need every place to have bike racks but if even 1 in 4 businesses downtown had them it's possible to share. With all the projects downtown it won't take long before we hit critical mass on bike parking and demand starts to grow.

But of course, code implementation and execution are two different things. The vast majority of projects downtown are not including the required bike parking which is very frustrating. Or if they do it is out of the way or otherwise unusable.

Re: Be a Walkable Activist too

I agree. This is so simple. If we regulate small businesses more, we can improve so many things in our city. All businesses, no matter the size, should provide covered secure parking for their employees who bike. Because if your bike gets wet, it's harder to ride and it might leave a wet spot on your skirt. Since we already have so many parking regulations, it just makes sense to add more for bikes.

If you lock it to a light pole or street sign instead of a bike rack, what if public works comes by and has to do maintenance on that sign? How can they work around a bike? They already have a tough job.

Mandatory bike racks will surely get a lot more people to ride and help with traffic congestion, parking problems, and make people healthier. There will be less crime and it will save our planet.

You can buy waterproof covers for bike seats. Obviously not as good as covered parking, but it does prevent the seat from leaving a wet spot. Its a game changer.